South Coast Readers & Writers Festival announces full program for July 2026

The South Coast Readers & Writers Festival today announces its 2026 program, featuring a vibrant line-up of author talks, book launches and workshops over a jam-packed three days, 24–26 July.

“We’re excited to be returning for our fifth year,” said Festival Director Dr Sarah Nicholson. “Our 2026 program is bigger than ever, and we can’t wait to share it with our community.”

Held in the Thirroul District Community Centre and Library, the Festival is a celebration of all things reading, writing and creativity on the South Coast of NSW. The 2026 program features more than 20 unique sessions on topics ranging from crime fiction, history, young adult literature, poetry, environmental writing, publishing, memoir, literary journals and more.

Headline / First Guests

In a festival highlight, multi-award-winning author Evelyn Araluen (Dropbear, The Rot) will share her blistering new collection and what comes next with poet David Stavanger (25 July). Araluen will also join author and journalist Antoinette Lattouf (Women Who Win) in an unmissable session where they will discuss their latest books and the courage needed to stand up to censorship with Antony Loewenstein (The Palestine Laboratory) (26 July).

Crime Done Differently (26 July) will be the topic of conversation between writer and critic James Bradley (Landfall), author Sulari Gentill (Five Found Dead) and Andy Muir.

Multi-award-winning author of Theory & Practice Michelle de Kretser and Catherine McKinnon, author of critically acclaimed To Sing of War, will take a deep dive into the craft of writing (26 July).

Tara Rae Moss, bestselling author of 15 books of fiction and non-fiction, will be in conversation with Sue Turnbull (25 July), speaking about her latest novel The Italian Secret and her remarkable career.

Author Kate Mildenhall joins Hayley Scrivenor in a conversation about her fourth novel, The Hiding Place, described as a razor-sharp literary thriller (25 July).

Andrew Pippos (The Transformations) and Fiona Wright (Kill Your Boomers) will discuss their latest novels and how they deal with themes of significant societal change, with Antony Loewenstein (26 July).

Free Events

The festival kicks off on Friday, 24 July with two free events.Celebrate the publication of The Library That Made Me: 200 Years of the State Library of NSW with guests Richard Glover, Judith Nangala Crispin, Mark Tredinnick and Alana Valentine as they reflect on the libraries that shaped them in a discussion hosted by Phillipa McGuinness.

The Young Writers Collective will then launch their third anthology, Untestable Questions, featuring poetry and prose readings that showcase the distinct voices of a remarkable group of emerging writers, in a session hosted by Helena Fox and Rhys Lorenc.

On Saturday, 25 July, children aged 8-12 can take part in a journal making workshop at Thirroul Library with local children’s author Pat Simmons.

Bookings essential for all free events.

Publishing Panels

Local authors Courtney Peppernell and Pamela Cook will discuss their latest books and chart their journeys towards publication with novelist Meredith Jaffé in the first of two panels on publishing, From Pen to Published (25 July).

The second panel, Journeys Through Publishing (26 July), will see Meredith Jaffé and fellow local South Coast author Claire Zorn discuss their new books and their journeys through publishing with Gretel Van-Lane.

Poetry

5 Islands Press presents an unmissable poetry showcase, featuring works and readings by Mark Tredinnick, Hemat Melak, Elizabeth Walton and Linda Godfrey, hosted by Gareth Jenkins (25 July).

As part of this year’s festival, two new collections of poetry will be launched: Jonathan Cant’s Finding Pan and Ed Southorn’s Sea Lake Mountain. Plus, Anne Casey and Anne Walsh Miller will read poems from the new Heroines anthology Witchcraft, edited by festival director Sarah Nicholson (26 July).

Nature & Climate

Inga Simpson and Elizabeth Walton are joined by Joshua Lobb to discuss the power and influence of the natural world in their creative work (25 July).

In an electrifying panel, Tim Flannery and Sarah Hamylton discuss human intervention and influence on the world around us, with Claire O’Rourke (26 July).

Memoir

Join award-winning author Kate Holden in conversation with Catherine McKinnon on her new book The Ruin of Magic, bringing both humour and sorrow to her exquisitely researched ruminations on longing and belonging in our strange times (25 July).Hear Felicia Djamirze’s incredible true story about being a former Miss Australia, convicted drug trafficker and gangland girlfriend, and how ghostwriter Erin O’Dwyer helped bring her past to life in Accessory, in this remarkable session with ABC’s Nick Rheinberger (25 July).

Jane Messer (Raven Mother) and Anne Casey (Seang (Hungering)) are joined by Paris Rosemont for an unforgettable festival session on memory, loss and inheritance (26 July).

More Program Highlights

A panel of writers from the University of Wollongong will discuss the enduring legacies of and love for a range of classic works which turn 100 this year, in a discussion led by Hayley Scrivenor (25 July).

Authors Judi Morison and Sara Haddad will discuss their latest books as Zohra Aly chairs a nuanced conversation between these authors about intergenerational trauma and justice (25 July).

In a panel, chaired by Peter Frankis, two journal editors will take audiences on a deep dive of what’s happening in their world of literary and scholarly publishing, and help explain why journals are such an important part of the country’s creative ecosystem.

Presented by Sydney Review of Books (25 July).

Kathryn Heyman and Debra Adelaide will talk books, love, friendships and endings with Caroline Baum (25 July).

Christine Howe sits down with Kate Liston-Mills and Judith Nangala Crispin to discuss their extraordinary new works and the art of telling stories through multiple mediums (26 July).

Rawah Arja and Gary Lonesborough are joined by Rhys Lorenc to explore what it means to write for and about young men today (26 July).

Workshops

Unlock your creative process with author Claire Zorn (Better Days) (14 July). Learn how to find, shape and honour another person's voice while creating a compelling narrative in any genre of storytelling with Erin O’Dwyer (17 July). Join poet Judith Nangala Crispin in a workshop on poetry writing (24 July).

Author Kathryn Heyman (Circle of Wonders) will be running a workshop for writers and those wishing for more creativity in their lives, exploring ways of making words sing with wonder (24 July).

Explore the full program and book tickets at southcoastwriters.org/festival